Baby-jumper.



No. 666,7l2. Patented Ian. 29, l90l. A. B. STURGES.

B A B Y J U M P E R (Application 'med June 25, 1900.)

(No Model.) 2 Sheets-8heet l.

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No. 666,712. Patented Ian. 29, I901.

A. B. STUBGES.

BABY JUMPER.

(Application filed June 28, 1900.)

2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

(No Model.)

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UNITED STATES.

PATENT OFFICE.

ALLEN B. STURGES, OF MILTON, VERMONT.

BABY-JUM PER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 666,712, dated January 29, 1901.

Application filed June 25, 1900.

To all whmn it may concern.-

Be it known that I, ALLEN B. STURGES, a citizen of the United States, residing at Milton, in the county of Ohittenden and State of Vermont, have invented a new and useful Baby-Jumper, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to improvements in baby-jumpers, and has for one object to provide an inexpensive and durable device designed for the amusement and instruction of small children and adapted to be adjustably connected with an overhead support to receive and support the child in a manner permitting its feet to have contact with the floor for the purpose of permitting the little one to learn to use its feet and legs without danger of its falling and without necessitating the constant attention of the nurse.

A further object of the invention is to incorporate a reactive elementas, for instance, a stout springin the supporting structure and to provide a device which will spread the supporting-straps at a point above the childs head without preventing said straps from sliding loosely within a retaining-ring for the purpose of maintaining a uniform pull upon the several supporting-straps in the various positions assumed by the child within the limits of movement imposed by the device.

With these and other objects in view the invention consists in the construction and arrangement hereinafter fully described, illustrated in the accompanying drawings, and defined in the appended claim.

In said drawings, Figure l is a perspective view of my device complete, the jumper being located directly under the point of suspension. Fig. 2 is a similar view showing the relative positions assumed by the parts when the child has taken a few steps from the position directly below the point of suspension. Fig.' 3 is a detail view of the connection between one of the supporting-straps and the end of a diagonal spreader. Fig. 4 is a de- Fig. 5 is a detail perspective viewillustrating the running connection between the supportingstraps and the supporting-ring, and Fig. 6 is a sectional view through the waist or body- Serial No. 21,553. (No model.)

band and illustrating the manner of connection of the leg-strap.

Referring to the numerals of reference employed todesignate corresponding parts in the several views, 1 indicates a hook or support designed to be screwed or otherwise secured to the ceiling or other overhead structure, and 2 indicates a stout spiral or other spring having a terminal loop engaging the hook and provided at its opposite end with a ring 3 for the attachment of the upper end 4 of an adjustable suspension-strap 5. The strap 5 may be made adjustable in any desired manner, but is preferably looped through a supporting-ring b and is provided with a buckle 7 at the end opposite the ring 3, which buckle may be adjustably connected to the strap at any point in its length to raise or lower the supportingring 6 for a purpose which will be more apparent hereinafter.

The elements enumerated constitute an adj ustable and yielding or reactive suspending device or pendent support for the jumper proper, which latter comprehends a bodyband or waist 8 and a plurality of supportingstraps connected to the waist and passed through the supporting-ring 6. The arrangement of the supporting-straps constitutes an important feature of my invention, said straps being two in number and indicated by the numerals 9 and 10. Each of these straps is permanently connected at its front end- 9 or 10*, as the case may be, to the upper edge of the waist or body band 8, and said strap having been passed loosely through the supportlug-ring 6 to have running engagement therewith is permanently connected at its opposite end 9 or 10 to the upper edge of the waist 8 at the back. The ends of the several straps are connected to the waist in alternating arrangement, as shown. Forinstance, the front end 9 of the strap 9 will be connected at the left side of the waist in front, while the rear end 9 of said strap will be connected to the right side of the waist at the back. This'diagonal relation of the supporting-straps will cause them to be crossed Within the ring 6, which ring thereby constitutes a single point of suspension for the four end sections of the straps.

For the purpose of spreading the supporting-straps at a point above the childs head I provide a spreader-frame composed of a pair of diagonally related or crossed spreader-bars 11 and 12, rigidly connected by soldering or otherwise at their point of intersection and having terminal triangular loops 13, formed by bending the ends of the bars, the base-bar 14 of each of these loops 13 constituting a retainer fortheadjacentsupporting-strap. As illustrated in the drawings, each spreader-bar is arranged to spread the front and rear portions of the same strap, the bar 11 being employed in connection with the strap 9, and the bar 12 likewise serving as a spreader for the strap 10. The connection between the ends of the spreader-bars and the supportingstraps is loose but permanent and is effected by sewing, riveting, or otherwise securing upon the straps 9 and 10 at proper points the retaining-loops 15, inclosing the retainingbars 14 of the terminal loops 13. The bars 14 are, as shown, disposed in planes at right angles to the spreader-bars for the purpose of retaining the supporting-straps against twisting in order that they may lie fiat one upon the other Within the ring 6 to have freely-r11 nning connection therewith.

The waist 8 may be made in a variety of forms, but is preferably divided at the back to accommodate lacings 16, which render the waist adjustable to fit children of dilferent sizes, and in order to insure the support of the child without having the waist bind under the arms a leg-strap 17 is extended from the bottom edge of the waist at the front and is designed to be passed under the body between the legs and to have its loose end connected by a snap-hook 18 to a small ring 19, retained by a loop 20 upon an adjustable strap 21, connected to one edge of the waist at the back adjacent to the bottom and designed to engage and to be secured by a buckle 22 at the opposed edge of the waist.

In use my baby-jumper is employed as follows: The body-band or waist is fitted upon the body of the child and the suspending-strap 5 is adjusted to cause the child to be supported with its feet resting lightly upon the floor. The weight of the child will cause the spring 2 to yield sufficiently to permit the taking of a few steps from a position directly under the supporting-hook, and it is for the purpose of facilitating this limited movement that this device is particularly designed. By reference to Fig. 2 it will be seen that as the child toddles away from its original position the running connections of the straps 9 and 10 with the supporting-ring 6 will permit the necessary change of relation of those portions of the straps lying above the spreader without causing the spreader totilt, and thereby endanger the equilibrium of the child. At the same time this running connection also serves to permit slight tilting of the spreaderframe to accommodate such movements of the child as may be necessary to-enable it to reach forth and grasp a chair or other article of furniture placed on the floor below the hook to facilitate the movements of the child. It is evident, therefore, that one essential feature of the invention is the provision of the supporting straps extending continuously from the front to the rear of the waist or bodyband and having a running connection with a supporting-ring and permanent connection with the opposite ends of the spreader.

From the foregoing it will be observed that ,I have produced a simple, durable, and efficient baby jumper or walker which will support the child, .while permitting it to move within prescribed limits and comprehending supporting devices related in a manner to permit of such relative movement as will facilitate the movements of the child; but while the present embodiments of the invention are believed at this time to be preferable, I do not wish to limit myself to the structural details defined, but reserve the right to effect such changes, modifications, and variations as may be embraced within the scope of the protection prayed.

VVhatI claim is In a baby-jumper, the combination with a suspension device and a supporting-ring, of a pair of crossed supporting-straps having loose running engagement with the supporting-ring, a body-band connected to the lower ends of said straps, each of the straps being connected at its opposite ends to the bodyband at opposite sides of the front and back thereof, a spreader-frame comprising a pair of diagonal spreader-rods rigidly connected at their point of intersection and provided with terminal loops, each of said loops comprehending a retainingbar disposed in a plane at right angles to the rod, and retaining-loops mounted upon the inner faces of the straps and engaging the retaining-bars, whereby said supporting-straps are free to run loosely through the supporting-ring and areheld against twisting by the retainingbars of the spreader-frame.

In testimony that I claim the-foregoing as my own I have hereto afiixed my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

ALLEN B. STURGES.

Witnesses:

LEON .D. LATHAM, E. T. HOLBROOK. 

